BY NOSIPHO MABUZA
MBABANE— From 13 to 15 November 2025, the inaugural Global Creative Summit (GCS) will launch in Johannesburg under the bold theme “Visa to the World.” More than just a conference, the summit is positioned as a powerful gathering where Africa asserts its rightful place at the center of the global creative economy.
Timed strategically with a historic milestone, the 2025 G20 Summit being hosted on African soil for the first time, the Global Creative Summit aligns Africa’s creative voice with one of the world’s most influential economic agendas. Already, countries including Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Réunion Island, and Eswatini have confirmed their participation, with more confirmations expected across the continent. Invitations have also been extended to G20 nations.
Adding prestige to the event, multi-Grammy award-winning producer and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Gordon “Commissioner Gordon” Williams will deliver the keynote address at the Summit’s Investment Gala Dinner.
Founder Sinamandla Kwepile described the summit as “a bold step toward the Africa we want,” rooted in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We are uniting the continent’s creative forces to speak with one powerful voice. Our mission is to shape a shared African creative agenda, one that removes barriers, accelerates cross-border collaboration, and ensures our artists and cultural entrepreneurs can move, trade, and create freely across Africa and the world,” Kwepile explained.
Ensuring Ownership and Protection for Creatives
Echoing this vision, Judah Phumelele Silitshena, Creative Consultant and Eswatini Representative, stressed that the summit is about transforming African creatives from participants into true owners of their work.
“The Summit is about moving African creatives from just showcasing to owning and protecting their work. We’re focusing on copyright, intellectual property rights, and new digital tools that ensure artists keep control of their creations and benefit fully from global markets,” he said.
A Voice on the Global Stage
The summit’s alignment with the G20 carries particular significance. Through its endorsement by the Civil 20 of the G20, Africa’s creative industries will now be represented at the highest policy tables.
“Through our endorsement by the Civil 20 of the G20, Africa’s creative industries now have a voice at the highest global policy table. This puts culture and creativity at the heart of discussions on trade, investment, and digital economies, making sure Africa is not just included, but actively shaping the global creative agenda,” Silitshena added.
Three Days of Impact
The Global Creative Summit will run as a 3-day gathering of practitioners, dignitaries, and policymakers who influence Africa’s creative sector. Its program includes:
- Day One: An Investment Gala Dinner featuring a keynote speaker and the honoring of Ambassadors for African Unity.
- Day Two: Panel discussions and sector-specific conversations centered on the mobility of African art and creatives, designed to be robust and pragmatic.
- Day Three: A musical extravaganza hosted by Inside Art Fest 2025, featuring artists such as Maglera Doe BOY, Warras, and DJ Switch.
Looking beyond 2025, the summit intends to create legacy projects and collaborations that will carry its momentum forward to the next GCS in 2026, hosted in the United States of America.
Creative Pillars of the Summit
The Global Creative Summit will shine a spotlight on five industries where Africa is not only participating but leading:
- Music: A global force bridging distance, preserving culture, and dominating charts. GCS will ask: how do we protect, own, and grow our sound?
- Film & Television: With Nollywood and digital platforms attracting foreign investment, African storytelling has a powerful diasporic impact. The summit aims to build bridges for co-productions, cross-border narratives, and sustainable policies.
- Fashion & Design: More than a trend, African fashion is cultural diplomacy rooted in heritage, sustainability, and innovation.
- Gaming & Digital Arts: Driven by a young, tech-savvy population, Africa is shaping the future of VR, AR, and digital creativity as tools for work, play, and education.
- Publishing & Literature: African storytelling must be strengthened through publishing systems, indigenous language support, and investment in children’s education to address literacy gaps.
Trade and Diplomacy: Breaking Barriers
Beyond the creative industries, GCS places trade and diplomacy at the heart of its agenda. By addressing border challenges and mobility restrictions, the summit aims to ensure Africa’s creative exports are not only celebrated but also protected, invested in, and positioned as drivers of sustainable development.
Call to Action
The summit invites institutions, organizations, embassies, and entities to participate in shaping Africa’s creative agenda. It also calls on event partners, sponsors, media, and brands to be part of this historic movement that will redefine Africa’s place in the global creative economy.
For more details, visit www.globalcreativesummit.com or connect via the summit’s official social media platforms.
Media Enquiries
- Inga Mekute: +27 74 605 5894
- Mathabo Tlali: +27 64 836 5175
Website: www.globalcreativesummit.com
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(Courtesy Pics)
